Stevie could have just left, Brad would never know where to find her. How would he? But she thought he deserved an explanation. It wasn't that they spent a couple of months together, no, they had been together for years, they were expecting a child... So, with her things packed, Stevie sat in the living room, fidgeting with her rings, while she waited for Brad to come back.
Soon enough, she heard the door being unlocked and opened, Brad asking for her. "Hey." He greeted with a smile, but it quickly faded. "What is this?" He showed to her bags and Stevie stood up, not entirely sure of how to go on about this.
"I'm sorry, Brad. I can't be with you anymore. Our relationship ran its course and I believe it's time for us to go our separate ways." Knowing breaking up with someone could never be easy, she still tried speaking to him as calmly and softly as possible.
"Not this again, Stevie."
"No, this time it's really over. I've decided."
"This is bullshit! What's wrong with our relationship?" Brad yelled, then instantly tried to lower his voice. "Stevie, you know I love you." He said, approaching her.
She held up her hands, shaking her head. "But I don't love you."
As if ignoring what she just told him, he asked. "Is it because of what I got myself into? Because I'll sort it out, I swear!"
"It's a lot of things, that being only one of them. Please, Brad, accept the fact that I'm done, that I want to move on with my life."
"Tell me, what is it and I'll change." He grasped her hands, but she pulled away.
"You don't have to, at least not for me. I just want out, I'm not happy with you."
"There's another man, isn't there?"
"Well, it doesn't matter much, because it doesn't affect my decision."
"So, there is." Brad sighed, slumping down on the couch. "Is he rich or something? That's why you're leaving me for him?"
"No, I'm leaving you, because I no longer love you." Stevie repeated. "We could go on, talking about this for the rest of the night, but it won't change anything, it won't make me stay with you."
"Do you think he will love you, when he finds out what you've gone through?"
"But that's the thing, Brad, I've gone through it, I'm not doing any of it now. I'm so tired of you throwing that into my face every time we have the smallest argument."
A lengthy silence followed, after which Brad looked up, looking Stevie in the eyes, letting her know he meant what he was about to say. "Okay. Go. Go and do whatever it is you want to do, be with whoever you want to be, but I'll be here and I'll wait for you to come back."
"But that's not going to happen. Understand that and don't make it harder on yourself than it already is."
"Do you need any help with your things, carrying them to your car?" Blocking out her words, he offered.
Releasing a deep breath, Stevie knew he was set on not listening to her. "No, I'll manage."
With two trips to her car, Stevie had everything loaded into the trunk, as she really didn't have that many clothes or her personal belongings. When she walked up the flight of stairs one more time, she gave Brad her key, but he wouldn't budge from his sitting position, so she just left it on the coffee table.
"You've been good to me." Stevie said. "And you really don't have to change. Just... time goes by, feelings change." She shrugged her shoulders, unsure of what else to add. "Goodbye, Brad."
She lingered for a moment, but he didn't say anything.
Once in her car, Stevie allowed herself to cry. Even if it looked like it, it wasn't easy for her to walk away from what they'd built together either, but deep down she knew it was over long before she started having thoughts about it.
Having calmed down, although, her eyes still bloody red, Stevie turned the engine of the car on and after taking one last look at where she had lived for well over five years, she drove away. She had considered going to her parents', but she couldn't be sure whether they would want her there, the relationship with her parents was rocky to say the least, they disapproved of most of her life choices, which caused them to drift apart.
So, she drove to where she knew she was welcomed. When Stevie told him of her plans, Lindsey insisted on her coming to him. She said she could always stay at a cheap hotel until she found another place to live, but he was having none of it.
When Lindsey opened the door, seeing how obviously upset Stevie was, he knew she'd done it. She had left the man she had spent years with and he knew she needed someone there for her more than probably ever before, especially after she confessed about her fear of being alone.
Pulling her into his arms, he kicked the door shut, holding her tightly in his embrace as she broke down once again. He rubbed her back, trying to soothe her and it began working eventually, but she didn't pull back, her arms wrapped around his middle, her head resting on his chest as she let her tears dry.
Although, a voice from behind them caused them to break their embrace.
"Dad?" Will asked, then... "Ms. Nicks?"
Damn, I should have sat down with him already, Lindsey thought to himself. "Hey buddy, there's something we have to talk about..."
